Sewing Sleepwear

Burdastyle pyjama top and self drafted shorts

Sleepwear is not something I make special plans to sew. In fact, the last time sleepwear or PJs were made was for Karen’s Pyjama Party back in 2013! The last theme on the Sewalongs and Sewing Contests Facebook Group was sleepwear. To enter you had to make at least 6 items, not necessarily for one person. You’ve already seen the kimono I made, so here are the rest of the items. I used all fabrics from the sash, including trims and buttons.

Starting with a pair of pyjamas for Daughter No2. The fabric is a very cute Paris print cotton sent to me by a friend in the States. She chose a pattern for the top from the December 2014 Burdastyle magazine, number 133. It’s a short sleeve top with a deep pleat in the centre back to create a swing back shape. There are 3 patch pockets on front. I used the overlocker for making the pjs, it needed to be a fairly quick make.

Pyjama details

I had hoped to make the cropped trousers from the same magazine, but there wasn’t enough fabric. Instead I drafted a pair of shorts with elasticated waist and shaped hem. Hopefully I will come across some plain blue or possibly lime green fabric to use for the pj trousers later on. Daughter no2 loves the finished pjs, and thinks the top can be made for day wear too…

Sleep masks, just because…

I even made a couple of sleep masks! The shape and size was just guessed at. The outside of daughter no2’s mask is cut with the little Parisian cafe tables featuring nicely. It’s padded with a bit of left over polar fleece and lined with blue stripe cotton from one of the other half’s shirts! I dug out the cute turquoise circle print bias binding for the edges and cut more of the stripe cotton on the bias for the casing for the elastic. I made one for me too! The front is the same fabric as used for the kimono, padded with more of the polar fleece and lined with the same stripe cotton shirting as daughter no2’s mask. I found some pre-cut strips of chartreuse satin lining to use for binding the edges. It looks great against the blue.

The best part of the print was used for the sleep mask. She can drift off dreaming of eating pastries on a Parisian pavement.

Next on the cards was a new gown for Daughter No1. She feels the cold easily and usually spends winter days layered in numerous jumpers, socks and a blanket or two – inside and with the heating on! Shopping the stash again, we chose a grey brushed flannel plaid. It’s lovely and snuggly! I used a Burda pattern, 2661, that I’ve had for ages!

Burda in cotton flannel

Making the 16 (it’s a kid’s pattern) we made the full lengthgown with shawl collar. Daughter No1 is petite but she wanted the gown to almost be floor length, so I didn’t shorten it. She recons it’s better to get wrapped up in that way. How I managed to get all the plaid lined up is still a miracle! The piece of fabric must have been about 4m long, but narrow. So the pattern pieces needed to be paid one below the other on a very long piece of floor. Which I don’t have. It made for interesting cutting out! The overlocker was used for this project, no faffing around with seperately stitching the seams and treating the raw edges.

Her favourite parts? The deep patch pockets that hold her mobile phone and a few snacks with ease. The shawl collar can be turned up to wrap around the neck and keep the chill out. This is going to be so very well used this coming winter!

Long and warm!

So that’s pjs all done for a little while. I’ve got a couple of dresses to show off, but am still awaiting photos. With the weather changing now and becoming a little more autumnal, I think the wait for photos of summer dresses might be a long one. I might just have to use the few photos I took before delivering the dresses to their new owners.

19 thoughts on “Sewing Sleepwear”

You do beautiful work, Anne! Always so impressively lovely! The first print is adorable, and I think she’s right – that top could be a blouse, too. But the plaid is truly mega. Can understand your pain trying to find floor space for 4 m of fabric. Had that problem at my last domicile. You’re welcome to come over any time and use my current big floor!

The inverted pleat on the PJ top is so lovely! It’s so strange how something small added to a garment can make it 1000 times more extravagant. I definitely don’t use pleats enough in my drafted patterns but I really like what you did there so might have to start adding them to more things!